Death of the Checkout Operator, Birth of the Concierge

Research carried out for the global information technology services company EDS by IGD (the Institute of Grocery Distribution), shows that 59 percent of 13-19 year-olds -- tomorrows shoppers -- want little or no staff involvement in their shopping experience. Of this group, 66 percent would like to self-scan their purchases rather than wait in line to pay a checkout assistant. However, of those who still want human interaction, 57 percent want staff to pack their bags. Despite a strong acceptance of self-scanning, 40 percent still want human interaction while shopping, but they want staff to be deployed differently. The research shows that of those opting for continued staff involvement, improved customer service is required: - 45 percent of teenagers want staff to take shopping to their cars - 41 percent want staff to get products they have forgotten while they are in line at the cash register Need for speed The need for speed of a generation weaned on high-speed internet access and mobile phones can be addressed through the introduction of additional in-store technologies. Focus groups with 13-19 year-olds revealed in addition to self-scanning, teenagers are interested in other ways technology can speed up their shopping visit: - 48 percent of teenagers looking for human interaction would like call buttons in aisles so they can call for staff to help them in their product selection Of those who want little or no staff involvement: - 26 percent want automated shopping carts that direct them to their chosen items with 16 percent calling for satellite navigation on shopping carts - 22 percent would like to see information terminals throughout the store - They also want a computer to create a shopping list based on previous shopping (17 percent), in-store promotions (13 percent), and preferred brands (12 percent) On the money In terms of different payment methods, teenagers still favor paying with credit and debit cards, but many say that in future, they would like to use biometrics -- fingerprint (17 percent) and iris recognition (seven percent) -- to purchase groceries. Fear of mobile-related crimes -- last year 710,000 mobile phones were stolen in the UK -- has created a reluctance to pay with existing mobile technologies, such as mobile phones and watches that automatically link to their bank accounts. There is no indication from respondents that we will be a cashless society in ten years time as 39 percent of teenagers and 30 percent of adults said they are still likely to use cash. Other research findings revealed that: - Despite the common preconception that teenagers and adults have different shopping habits and preferences, this research concludes that todays teenagers think like their parents. The views of adults and teenagers on most issues raised in the interviews and focus groups are closely aligned - Brand image is important to both adults and teenagers, but the research shows that teenagers are more influenced by advertising than their parents -- 60 percent of teenagers believe that good advertising has an impact on brand image compared to 45 percent of adults. Half of teenagers (50 percent) and 35 percent of adults will go to a different store if the brand they want isnt available, which highlights the importance of ensuring that items are on the shelves - Despite the backlash against supermarkets and accusations that they are killing off smaller stores, people like the supermarket format -- 62 percent prefer hypermarkets and just four percent favor the convenience store set up. In ten years time, over three-quarters (79 percent) of us will be shopping in supermarkets for at least some of our groceries (32 percent of respondents say they will shop exclusively in supermarkets) with just three percent f